Kosaka et al, discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,450 a plurality of catalysts arranged in a desirable order based on the temperature gradient existing in the reaction chamber. The operating temperature of the catalyst and the temperature of the portion of the reaction chamber it is in, are matched so as to avoid catalytic degradation and/or catalytic inactivity.
Hindin et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,086 discloses a catalytic composition particularly useful in the production of hydrogen from methanol, especially by steam reforming, which comprises a mixture of zinc oxide, copper oxide, thorium oxide and aluminum oxide whereby the activity and activity maintenance of the catalytic composition is superior relative to a composition otherwise substantially the same but lacking thoria.
Henkel et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,877 discloses a fuel gas obtained in a reformed gas generator through the catalytic reaction of hydrocarbons and a gas containing oxygen and provided to an internal combustion engine has its heat content along with that of the exhaust gas of the engine used to convert methanol endothermically into a gas mixture containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen with the gas mixture so formed fed to one or both the reformed gas generator and, along with the fuel gas, the internal combustion engine.
Peterson et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,835 provides for synthesizing CO and H.sub.2 fuel from CH.sub.3 OH and water in a synthesizer. The methanol is confined in a fuel tank as a liquid. The water is confined in a water tank. A fuel pump and a water pump force fuel and water to a mixing valve. A heat exchanger heats the fuel and water to a gas which passed through Ni or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 catalyst at 500.degree. C. where the CH.sub.3 OH disassociates to CO and H.sub.2. The gas passes to a synthesizer containing Fe or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 above 500.degree. C. where H.sub.2 O and CO form H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2. The gas is mixed with air and passed to an engine.
Chen et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,522 provides a preengine converter. The catalyst in the first reactor may be copper zinc chromite. Col. 2, lines 28-35. A second catalyst is a hydrocarbon cracking catalyst such as zeolite.
Kikuchi et al in J. Japan Petrol. Inst., 23, (5), 328-333 (1980) discloses exothermic partial combustion during start-up of a methanol fueled engine. At Table I on page 329 he lists copper/oxide zinc oxide catalyst as well as copper/nickel catalyst for conversion of methanol on various supported copper catalysts. At page 332 Kikuchi discusses methanol conversion to give formaldehyde type intermediate which decomposes to hydrogen and carbon monoxide as shown in the first two equations listed therein.
Wiswall et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,479 disclose a method for storing hydrogen whereby gaseous hydrogen is absorbed by nickel-magnesium alloys at temperatures above 250.degree. C. and pressures above 18 psi.
Energy, Encyclopedia of, pages 326-330 discloses at page 327 that hydrogen may be combined with metals to form loosely bound hydrides, which may then be dissociated at elevated temperature. Attractive hydrides are based on Mg-Ni and Mg-Cu alloys. The dissociation temperatures at 1 atmosphere are about 250.degree. C. The dissociation heat may be obtained from the exhaust of a hydrogen fueled engine.